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Is there like...a certain something preventing her from knowing? He looks and sounds EXACTLY like him.

Hmm, it seems this is a theme in every episode thread ^^

Firstly he doesn't look exactly like him, even if we take the elve-ears out of the equation. In a game where you can freely change your appearance at the beginning you won't imagine anyone looks like his real self or even has his real gender.

Secondly although that is not conveyed in the anime, it should be clear that they don't sound the same. That would be simply impossible as the NerveGear/Amusphere couldn't possibly know how your voice is like. Remember, when you are saying sth in a VRMMO you don't say anything in real so you can't simply use a microphone for transmitting the voice.

I have to disagree there, Recon was perfectly willing to accompany Kirito and Leafa, but he said he was going to stay behind because of his suspicions. Based on the last 20 seconds of the episode, his actions seem more legitimate. Playing an undercover mole takes as much determination as what Kirito and Leafa are doing, it's just a different kind of it. (with his personality he's actually quite suited for that kind of thing)

But that's the determination to follow. There's still something very... beta about him. If Kirito's the type to go off on his own rather than fight for alpha status, Recon's the type to be content to be following someone. (In this case, Suguha.)

But that's the determination to follow. There's still something very... beta about him. If Kirito's the type to go off on his own rather than fight for alpha status, Recon's the type to be content to be following someone. (In this case, Suguha.)

OK. Someone appears to have nudged the grauitous fanservice slider up more than few notches.

And one of my biggest complaints about this arc. Sugou's such a massive pile of villian cliches that it's hard to take him seriously. Between the creepy near rapist, mad scientist, corrupt corporate executive, megalomaniac and sadistic tale teller, when does he find time to sleep?

He's not that bad, but yes, he is the kind of "nice guy" who expects a happy end if he just sticks with it long enough. Too many movies with that exact plot, I guess.

(And I don't see how he's much like Kirito. Even in-game, he's not that good.

And Kirito has gained confidence from his years in SAO.

And he's not trying to get into anyone's pants save Asuna's, so it's really no surprise Suguha would react completely differently.
)

I actually never understood the negative troupe of the "Nice Guy" before this so if this anime did something right so is Recon it. It's pretty easy to see that Suguha is anoyed by his assumptions about how him having been nice to her should automaticly gain him romantic rights to her. I guess there is something to the proverb: "Assumptions makes an ass out of you and me.". In a way so is Recon a slightly milder version of the objectifying that the party leader does of Leafa.

It's easy to see why she finds it easy to get along with Kirito as he makes no assumptions at all. He even argues against her some when she offers to help him out. So the free spirited Suguha gets along a lot easier with Kirito as her taging along with him is totally her own choise and nothing he assumes is his right.

Just watched the episode. I agree that not much is happening, but I still enjoy. Partly due to Suguha fanservice .

Ok seriously though, somehow I enjoy this arc a bit more than the previous one. Maybe itís because thereís not a lot of time-skip/period-jump so that I can slowly understand the charactersí motivation and development. I also have to commend Kirito for standing up for Leafa even if it means facing (online) death at the hand of Sigurd .

Btw, does Reconís weird standing manner is due to Suguha always hit him in the stomach with her Shinai? Also, does Recon feel the "pain" when Leafa stepped on his foot? Seeing his reaction, it seems like that.

Fair enough, but what the complainers fail to explain is how to tell a coherent story with this since without Asuna's captivity, Sogou no longer has a direct way to get ahold of Asuna's father's comapny, Kirito would have no reason to go to the new game and no one would find out about the SAO survivor captives until it's too late and the entire story would require an extensive if not total rewrite.

"Hi, I'm a government agent investigating the 300 people who didn't wake up after SAO ended, and I have reason to believe that the company that bought out Argus has something to do with it. Kirito, Asuna, I need your help as super-badass experts on VRMMO to help me infiltrate this system and get the proof I need."

Or Kawahara could've done a completely different story about how Asuna's parents don't want her seeing Kirito and they have to use a new MMO to continue their relationship while recovering from the mental trauma of SAO.

The notion that putting Asuna in a cage and threatening her with rape is the only way the story could've gone is absurd -- it's just the writer taking an easy route full of bad, cliched writing and cardboard characters.

The notion that putting Asuna in a cage and threatening her with rape is the only way the story could've gone is absurd -- it's just the writer taking an easy route full of bad, cliched writing and cardboard characters.

How is the notion of kidnapping a girl and threatening her with rape "absurd?" Quite frankly, not only do I find that statement incredibally close-minded, but also naive and very offensive.

People in real life have actually been kidnapped, locked up and raped in real life, so to say that Asuna's situation is absurd is very very offensive and insulting.

"Hi, I'm a government agent investigating the 300 people who didn't wake up after SAO ended, and I have reason to believe that the company that bought out Argus has something to do with it. Kirito, Asuna, I need your help as super-badass experts on VRMMO to help me infiltrate this system and get the proof I need."

Or Kawahara could've done a completely different story about how Asuna's parents don't want her seeing Kirito and they have to use a new MMO to continue their relationship while recovering from the mental trauma of SAO.

The notion that putting Asuna in a cage and threatening her with rape is the only way the story could've gone is absurd -- it's just the writer taking an easy route full of bad, cliched writing and cardboard characters.

It is not the easy route it is just one route. I agree it would have more interesting if he chose a diffident premise, but that doesn't mean this type of story is immediately wrong. Asuna is for example pro-active with trying to escape and isn't only relying on Kirito to save her.